Pawpaw is the super-yummy native fruit most people have never heard of. It is the largest fruit native to North America and grows abundantly in midwestern forests. It’s the only fruit in its family that grows in our temperate climate. The rest, like the custard apple, are tropical. And the best, most delicious way to enjoy pawpaw is Pawpaw Ice Cream.
I’ve been on a quest for the perfect IPA-inspired dessert. Spoiler alert: this post is not about that dessert because I’m still mulling it over and tinkering and drinking beer for research. But I know a few things about this mythical sweet. It must have hops. It must have conifers. And it must have grapefruit. My love for lemon curd borderlines on fetish, so I thought grapefruit curd had to be even better.
I love my little weirdos. All of my three kids have special talents and hilarious quirks. My son has an insane amount of energy, charm, musical ability and dramatic flair. If the entire cast of a cruise ship musical production could be crammed into one person, that would be Simon on a slow day. My middle daughter, Ramona, is artistic, soulful and passionate. Her art teacher once told me, “She’s like a conduit, the ideas and inspiration just pour out of her.” I wish this were a kids’ art blog because she is truly gifted. Continue reading “Weezy’s Honey Cake”
Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Last year I decided to forego the fancy brunches and forced outings and just spent some time working on a cake that pleased my palate. And my palette! I wanted something light and tart paired with something unexpected. Something that could be made and assembled quickly but still look and taste impressive. Continue reading “Lemon Blackberry Cake with Matcha Marshmallow Frosting”
Grassy matcha and ripe strawberry combine to make a meringue that tastes as cucurbit as it looks. Stripe your piping bag with green food dye, line the sides with your matcha mixture, then fill the center with strawberry meringue. Voila, Strawberry Matcha Meringue! Continue reading “Strawberry Matcha Meringue”
So, I know this is a baking blog and dandelion jelly is not really a baked good. But if some joker can put bacon on a maple donut, I think I can put jelly on my baking blog. Bacon started it. And this dandelion jelly recipe is worth breaking all the rules for anyway.
One of the best things about my new BFF caramel is that the flavor possibilities are so wide open. Think of any dessert, candy or drink you like and then google that with the word “caramel” and you’ll see what I mean. Continue reading “Banana Nut Bread Caramels”
I have known how to make caramels for three days and still feel like I just invented fire. The Salted Mezcal Caramels were a hit with the adults, but the kids didn’t really like them so I told Weezy I’d make some for her friends that were plain vanilla and she could decorate them. They ended up with so many sprinkles on them that I had to vacuum my kitchen counter when I cleaned up. Continue reading “Swedish Coffee Cake Caramels”
Does your mixologist have a waxed mustache? Suspenders? Do they make their own artisan bitters? Then there’s a pretty good chance you have had mezcal. Mezcal is a smoked tequila that all the cool kids are drinking. After a particularly tough day a few weeks ago I was having a pity-party and texted a friend #sendmezcal. A few days later the FedEx guy rings my doorbell and hands me a box. Inside was a bottle of Sombra mezcal! I have the best and most literal friends. Continue reading “Salted Mezcal Caramels”
